Conservatives and Ethnic Diversity

By Chidike Okeem

Whenever presented with the idea of ethnic diversity, mainstream conservatives often retort with the superficial expression, “We don’t necessarily need ethnic diversity, but we need diversity of thought.” The reason why this fraudulent aphorism is used is because mainstream conservatives like to present the narrative that their ideology has been unfairly shut out of all the cultural arenas of importance in America. While this is a glib rhetorical comeback, mainstream conservatives must understand that their own argument can be used against them. You cannot realistically champion diversity of thought while continuously dismissing any comment that does not align with right-wing talk radio orthodoxy as the leftist blathering of a RINO.

Is America a Leftist Nation?

By Chidike Okeem

The conventional wisdom of the American right is that liberals are winning the culture war because they control the mainstream media and malign conservatives unfairly. This argument does not consider the copious ways in which mainstream conservatives work overtime to make their ideology as unpalatable to non-traditional audiences as possible. Yes, liberals are winning the culture war. However, as far as American politics is concerned, it is simply an uncomfortable truth that liberals are doing a much better job of winning public debates and appealing to the diverse American electorate. By contrast, conservatives are much more concerned with posturing and appealing to the most extreme elements on the far right. Conservatives are trained to see ethnic diversity as the political equivalent of a metastasizing cancer.

Romney in 2016 = GOP Suicide

By Chidike Okeem

The start of 2015 means that the field for the presidential election that is set to occur next year is starting to form. Interestingly, according to reports, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney wants to run again, after winning the Republican nomination in 2012 and losing the general election to the incumbent office holder. If Romney wins the Republican nomination again, it would say more about the Republican Party than it would about Romney. A Republican Party that decides to take a third presidential run by Romney seriously would prove that it is not interested in being a governing party. Moreover, if Romney wins the nomination in 2016, Republicans cannot realistically complain about being called the party of plutocrats.

Bill O’Reilly, Tendentious Statistics, and Police Brutality

By Chidike Okeem

Earlier this week on his prime time cable news show, Bill O’Reilly argued that African Americans commit crimes at a wildly disproportionate rate to the black presence in the U.S. population. He pointed out that blacks are 14 percent of the U.S. population but commit 47 percent of police killings. He also noted that blacks are six times more likely to kill cops than non-blacks. While O’Reilly’s statistics may be technically accurate, they are clearly designed to mislead the public about the threat that blacks pose to police officers and to excuse police malpractice. Irrespective of crime rates, abusive policing is morally indefensible and a demonstrable violation of all moral standards that should be upheld by a nation that values the rule of law.

Steve Scalise, Republicans, and White Supremacy

By Chidike Okeem

The political scandal du jour is that, in 2002, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke at a conference held by the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), a white supremacist organization created by the Ku Klux Klan-affiliated David Duke. Scalise is also on the record saying that he agrees with Duke’s “conservative views,” and Duke has referred to Scalise as a “good family man.” Scalise’s main concern about Duke was his lack of electability—not his vile racism. The entire situation is not only a terrible scandal for Scalise, but it is an even more horrific catastrophe for the Republican Party—a party that desperately needs to rebrand in order to remain a viable national movement capable of winning important presidential elections.